Baidoa September 12, 2023 (SD) – The security forces of the Southwest State Government of Somalia and the National Intelligence and Security Agency have arrested a senior Al-Shabaab commander who was planning to travel out of the Baidoa airport.

Omar Mohamed Ismail, also known as “Nuur,” was apprehended while boarding a flight to the city of Mogadishu, to continue his journey to the town of Galkayo.

In a video confession, he confirmed his affiliation with Al-Shabaab, and he claimed to be 40 years old and was residing in Galkayo, before heading to Mogadishu.

“Before I joined Al-Shabaab, I used to be a Quran teacher for the residents. Al-Shabaab assigned me to a person named Mohamed Hassan, and that’s how I ended up in Jilib district,” said the individual.

He further mentioned that he attended a training course for some time, which was led by the high-ranking leaders of Al-Shabaab, and afterward, they were divided into specialized units.

He emphasized a request to the Southwest State Administration to pardon him and release him from prison, stating that he should not be considered a criminal as he did not commit any crimes.

He requested the Southwest State Government to expedite his trial and release him, as he argued that he should not be treated as a criminal.